Housing for ratchet-wheels.



No. 636,645. Pat ented Nov. 7, I899. R. H. nouauzmv.

HOUSING FOR RATGHET WHEELS.

(Application filed Nov. 10, I897.)

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NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

HOUSING FOR RATCHET-WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,645, dated November7, 1899.

Application filed November 10, 1897. Serial No- 657,999. (No model.)

To aZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. DOUGH- ERTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Housings for Ratchet-Wheels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved housing for ratchet-wheels ofwindlasses such as are used for oyster-dredges; and it consists of theparts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of aWindlass. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the improved housing inclosingthe ratchet-wheel and pawls. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theimproved housing.

The letterA designates the frame, and B the shaft on which the windingdrum or spool C is fixed. A ratchet-wheel D is on the shaft, and twopawls e f engage the ratchet and prevent reverse movement. One or bothends of the shaft, has a square end 9 to receive a crank-arm H,(indicated by broken lines.)

It is desirable to provide a housing for inclosing the ratchet-wheel andthe pawls and of such construction that access may be immediately had tosaid parts at any time, and which will exclude the clothing of theoperator from accidentally catching in said parts and prevent the pawlsfrom turning backward and wholly disengaging from the ratchet andthrowing the crank back, which sometimes results in serious injury tothe operator. I have accordingly provided the housing I shown in thedrawings. This housing consists of two parallel arch-shaped side wallsj, having rounded ends It. These walls are spaced apart and areconnected together at the rounded ends by curved end walls Z, whichunite said two sidewalls. These end wallsl extend upward for a distanceand have an upper edge j, and the lower portion of each of the two endwalls curves inward, as at j toward each other. An open top 'm is thusleft between the upper edges j of the two end walls and the arched partof said side walls j. Each end of the housing has a hole at to receive abolt 47/, which serves to secure the housing to the frame A, and eachbolt also serves as a pivot for one of the pawls. The side walls projecthigher than the ratchetwheel, and the uppermost edge j of each end wallprevents the pawl adjacent it from turning backward and entirelydisengaging from the ratchet-wheel, and the lower curved part j takesunder the pivoted end of the pawl and prevents anything from passingupward and thereby disengaging the pawl.

By using this housing device there will be no liability of the crankbeing thrown backward and injuring the operator.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. A housing forratchet-Wheels having in combination two parallel arched side wallsspaced apart and connected at their ends by end walls thelower ends ofwhich latter curve and take under the ends of the side walls and theupper parts of which extend upward, each having an upper edge, 7",leaving a top opening between said upper edges and said side walls, asset forth.

2. In a Windlass the combination of a ratchet wheel; a housing inclosingsaid ratchet-wheel and having two parallel arched side walls connectedtogether at the ends by end walls, an open top being left between theend walls and said side walls; a pawl within the housing at each side ofthe ratchet-wheel; and two bolts-one securing each end of the housingand also serving as a'pivot for one of the pawls, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

RICHARD H. DOUGHERTY.

Witnesses:

OHAPIN A. FERGUSON, CHAS. B. MANN.

